| —Social Protection Minister Minister of Social Protection Volda Lawrence told members of the National Assembly on Wednesday of some distressing findings as well as some laudable strides in the fight against Trafficking In Persons (TIP).Social Protection Minister,Jerseys NFL Cheap, Volda LawrenceDuring the 2016 budget debates, Lawrence said that she is happy to report that for the first time ever, Guyana had a conviction in a TIP case, where restitution was ordered for the victim.However, Lawrence said that what is distressing in Guyana is the preponderance of women who are TIP perpetrators.The Minister said that last year, women accounted for the majority of the 31 suspects. She said, too, that children comprised more than 30 percent of the 59 victims for last year. In addition, the Social Protection Minister said that sex is the major driver of human trafficking in Guyana, and that more than 80 percent of TIP victims are forced into ‘carnal economics’ otherwise known as the ‘flesh industry’.Lawrence told the House that the labour sector absorbs just 16 percent of TIP victims, but efforts to rescue victims will continue.The Parliamentarian noted that the Ministry currently has four ongoing TIP matters in the Courts and is hopeful about securing four convictions for this year.“We must rid our nation of this despicable man-made cancer,” she expressed.As part of the overall plan to do so, the Minister said that the Counter Trafficking In Persons (C-TIP) Unit will be restructured in 2016 and transformed into a Department with these additional features.She said that there will be an increase in staff, with private investigators (PIs) coming on board as well as legal officers; Senior and Junior Case Managers; and an Administrative Officer.“We are serious about TIP in Guyana and will spare no effort to put the critical infrastructure in place to ensure the eventual eradication of the man-made threat,Jerseys From China, and in the meantime, the severest punishment for all convicted perpetrators – female or male.”The Minister said that the government will approach international agencies to help provide both technical and financial assistance in its drive to stamp out human trafficking from the society.She said, “In our quest, we will seek funding to build a home for male TIP victims 18 years and above. This is part of a menu of measures we will pursue this year to focus the spotlight on human trafficking. Trafficking also ensnares many Guyanese males and we can’t afford, as a responsible society, to play the proverbial ostrich.”Lawrence also gave an account of the $9.908B which was allocated to her Ministry in 2015 for the execution of Administration, Social Services, Labour and Child Care Protection.The Social Protection Minister said that the Ministry fulfilled the objectives of its six-point action plan. These include Training of Staff, Specialized Training for Indigenous Peoples, Improved Benefits for Pensioners, Programmes Specific to Vulnerable and Disadvantaged Groups, and Provision of Safe and Clean Environment for those Persons in Need of Shelter.Lawrence said that for 2015, the Ministry resuscitated the Women of Worth (WOW) Programme with the Guyana Bank for Trade and Industry, which provided loans for more than 90 female single parents.“Regrettably, we inherited a bankrupt programme. From the $29.4 million in loans,Jerseys NFL Cheap, approximately $22 million was non-performing at the end of December 2014,Sale NFL Jerseys, which represents 77 percent of WOW’s portfolio. It cannot be business as usual; we cannot continue on the same broken, ruined track,China Jerseys NFL,” the Minister said.She also stated that last year,NHL Jerseys Authentic, efforts were made to upgrade the skills and competencies of staff from the Probation, Welfare, Counter-Trafficking in Persons (C-TIP) Unit, Child Protection, and Industrial Relation Departments. |
